The present invention relates generally to rotary machines, such as steam and gas turbines, and, more particularly, relates to a rotary machine having a seal assembly for controlling clearance between tips of rotating rotor blades and a stationary outer casing of the rotary machine.
Steam and gas turbines are used, among other purposes, to power electric generators. A steam turbine has a steam path which typically includes, in serial-flow relationship, a steam inlet, a turbine, and a steam outlet. A gas turbine has a gas path which typically includes, in serial-flow relationship, an air intake (or inlet), a compressor, a combustor, a turbine, and a gas outlet (or exhaust nozzle). Compressor and turbine sections include at least one circumferential row of rotating blades. The free ends or tips of the rotating blades are surrounded by a stator casing.
The efficiency of the turbine depends in part on the radial clearance or gap between the rotor blade tips and the surrounding casing and the clearance between the rotor and the diaphragm packings. If the clearance is too large, more of the steam or gas flow will leak through the gap between the rotor blade tips and the surrounding casing or between the diaphragm and the rotor, decreasing the turbine's efficiency. If the clearance is too small, the rotor blade tips can strike the surrounding casing during certain turbine operating conditions. Gas or steam leakage, either out of the gas or steam path or into the gas or steam path, from an area of higher pressure to an area of lower pressure, is generally undesirable. For example, gas-path leakage in the turbine or compressor area of a gas turbine, between the rotor of the turbine or compressor and the circumferentially surrounding turbine or compressor casing, will lower the efficiency of the gas turbine leading to increased fuel costs. Also, steam-path leakage in the turbine area of a steam turbine, between the rotor of the turbine and the circumferentially surrounding casing, will lower the efficiency of the steam turbine leading to increased fuel costs.
It is known that the clearance changes during periods of acceleration or deceleration due to changing centrifugal force on the blade tips and due to relative thermal growth between the rotating rotor and stationary casing. During periods of differential centrifugal and thermal growth of the rotor and casing the clearance changes can result in severe rubbing of the moving blade tips against the stationary casing. This increase in blade tip clearance results in efficiency loss.
Clearance control devices, such as rigid abradable shrouds, have been used in the past to accommodate rotor-to-casing clearance change. However, none are believed to represent an optimum design for controlling such clearance. Also, positive pressure packings have been used that include movable packings that permit the packings to be in a retracted position during startup and in an extended position during steady state operation of the turbine. However, the moving parts can stick during operation preventing the packings from moving between the extended and retracted positions.